PISMO BEACH COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Agenda Item #12.B
SUBJECT/TITLE:
WATER SUPPLY UPDATE; DECLARATION OF “NORMAL WATER SUPPLY CONDITION”
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Receive an update on the City’s water supply;
2. Adopt a Resolution declaring a “Normal Water Supply Condition” and Rescinding Resolutions R-2022-043, R-2022-004, and R-2021-049.
BACKGROUND:
On November 16, 2021, staff provided an update to the City Council on the City’s water supply and committed to return to the Council at the second meeting every other month to provide an update on the City’s water supply.
The staff report for that meeting can be found in the Access Pismo online public records portal1 or by scanning the QR Code at right.
In response to the once worsening drought, the City Council took actions to protect the City’s water supply and to encourage conservation. On June 1, 2021, the City Council declared a Moderately Restricted Water Supply Condition via Resolution R-2021-049; on January 18, 2022, the City Council declared a Severely Restricted Water Supply Condition via Resolution R-2022-004; and most recently, the City Council declared a Critical Water Supply Condition via Resolution R-2022-043 and adopted an urgency ordinance enacting a prohibition on the installation of natural turf.
However, since the last report given to the City Council on January 17, 2023, the City of Pismo Beach’s water supply, as well as that of the State of California has drastically changed for the better and staff now recommends that the City Council lift the current water use restrictions.
Current Water Use Restrictions
Section 13.24.060 of the City’s Municipal Code, which defines a Critical Water Supply Condition, states “In addition to the conditions specified in Section 13.24.050, the city council may impose any water rationing requirement as it deems appropriate to protect public health, safety, welfare, comfort and convenience.” The water use restrictions in section 13.24.050 are:
A. Use of water which causes runoff onto adjacent properties, non-irrigated areas, private and public walkways, roadways, gutters, parking lots, or structures is prohibited.
1 Full URL:
https://accesspismo.pismobeach.org/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=362819&dbid=0&repo=Laserfiche
12.B-1Council Agenda 3-21-2023
B. Outdoor water use for washing vehicles, boats, paved surfaces, buildings, and other similar uses shall be attended and have hand-controlled water devices, which shut off the water immediately when not in use.
C. No water shall be used for cleaning driveways, patios, parking lots, sidewalks, streets, or other such uses except as found necessary by the city to protect the public health or safety.
D. Outdoor irrigation
1) Outdoor irrigation is prohibited between the hours of ten a.m. and four p.m. 2) Applying water to outdoor landscapes during and within 48 hours after measurable rainfall is prohibited.
3) Irrigation of private and public landscaping, turf areas and gardens is permitted at even-numbered addresses only on Mondays and Thursdays, and at odd-numbered addresses only on Tuesdays and Fridays. All customers are directed to use no more water than necessary to maintain landscaping.
E. Restaurants shall serve drinking water only in response to a specific request by a customer.
F. Using water in a fountain or other decorative water feature, except where the water is part of a recirculating system, is prohibited.
G. Use of potable water for compaction or dust control purposes in construction activities is prohibited.
H. Emptying and refilling swimming pools and commercial spas is prohibited except to prevent structural damage and/or to provide for the public health and safety.
In addition to the above water use restrictions the Council directed the following water use restrictions be imposed:
Water leaks be repaired within 72 hours of notification by the City Extending the prohibited hours for outdoor irrigation from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
No new lawns to be allowed in the City
Other Agencies
Staff has reached out to other local agencies as well as agencies throughout California through the League of California Cities Public Works Department and have found that other municipalities have adopted the following water use restrictions:
Mandatory water reduction based upon 2020 usage
o Amount of reduction ranges from 0% to 30% depending on amount of usage o Irrigation meters must reduce use 25%
o Fines for noncompliance with a one-time “water school” to have the fine dismissed
Landscape irrigation limited to 10 minutes per station on an allowed watering day Outdoor watering limited to one day per week
All pools must be covered when not in use
Mandatory 10% reduction based on 2020 usage
12.B-2Council Agenda 3-21-2023
Update on Water Supply
The City’s water supply portfolio is made up of three sources: State Water, Lopez Lake Water, and groundwater from the Santa Maria Groundwater Basin (SMGB).
Santa Maria Groundwater Basin
The SMGB is an adjudicated basin, and the City of Pismo Beach has the right to extract 700 acre-fee per year (AFY) from the basin.
The NCMA Technical Group has established a “Deep Well Index Threshold” level of 7.5 feet as a level that can induce seawater intrusion into the basin if the basin remains below that level for an extended period of time.
Previous Index Level
Data Collection Date: October 3, 2022
DWIL: 5.88 feet
1.62 feet lower than the Deep Well Index Threshold
Most Current Index Level
Data Collection Date: February 7, 2023
DWIL: 10.58 feet
3.08 feet higher than the Deep Well Index Threshold
The current DWIL is 4.70 feet higher than the previous level and 1.22 feet higher than one year ago (January 2021). As expected the above average rains have positively impacted the groundwater levels in the Santa Maria Ground Water Basin.
Lopez Lake
Lopez Lake has been operating under the Low Reservoir Response Plan (LRRP), however recent rains have brought capacity over 20,000 AF. Until recent rains, Lopez Lake was expected to drop below 10,000 AF by this time, however the reservoir is now over 80% of its capacity and the LRRP is no long in effect and municipal diversions have been restored to 100%. Further, under the LRRP the City was able to build a surplus of 1,048.0 AF of water in Lopez Lake. Recent Lopez Contract Revisions established storage rights in Lopez Lake and the City of Pismo Beach has built a bank of 1,061.35 AF of storage in Lake Lopez, in addition to the surplus water previously mentioned. This stored water along City’s 892 AF Lopez allocation brings the City’s total available water from the lake to 3,001.35 AF.
As previously stated this year’s above average rainfall has considerably replenished Lopez Lake. Lake levels from November 2, 2021 to March 3, 2023 are shown in Table 1, below.
12.B-3Council Agenda 3-21-2023
Table 1: Lopez Lake Levels November 2, 2021 – November 4, 2022 Measurement Date Lake Level (AF) % Change
November 2, 2021 14,763.0
January 12, 2022 14,942.8 1.2%
March 9, 2022 14,508.7 -2.9%
April 5, 2022 14,331.6 -1.2%
September 9, 2022 11,942.1 -16.7%
November 4, 2022 11,226.1 -6.0%
January 10, 2023 20,594.3 45.5%
March 13, 2023 39,612.0 92.3%
As of March 13, 2023 the lake level was 24,849.0 AF higher than it was on November 4, 2022.
State Water
There are two components of State Water: Table A allocations and Drought Buffer. “Table A” refers to the amount of water an agency contracts for, while Drought Buffer is an additional allocation that can be delivered when deliveries are set below 100%. The total water delivered (Table A plus Drought Buffer) cannot be more than an agency’s Table A allocation. Further, State Water can be stored, and the amount of storage calculated based upon the total available water (Table A plus Drought Buffer) and the delivery percentage.
The County of San Luis Obispo Flood Control and Water Conservation District (District/County) is one of 29 State Water Project (SWP) Contractors. The County’s total SWP allocation is 25,000 AFY. Of that amount, 4,830 AFY is under contract as Table A allocations amongst the 10 SWP Subcontractors, and an additional 5,747 AFY is under contract as Drought Buffer. This leaves the District with 14,423 AFY of unsubscribed SWP allocations. The City currently has a contract with the District for 1,240 AFY Table A allocation and 1,240 AFY of Drought Buffer.
On December 1, 2022, the State Department of Water Resources (DWR) set initial 2023 State Water Project (SWP) allocations to 5% with SWP Human Health and Safety Needs (HH&S). However, this year’s storms have increased water in 9 of the 17 major SWP reservoirs are at or above their historical averages with respect to storage, and as of March 3, 2023 the California snowpack was 177% of the average (116.5 inches of snowpack with a water equivalent of 41.5 inches at the Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevadas near Lake Tahoe). In response to the increased precipitation the DWR increased State Water deliveries on January 26, 2023 and then again on February 22, 2023 to 30% and 35% respectively.
The City’s current water supplies without additional State Water from the County are shown in Table 2, below.
12.B-4Council Agenda 3-21-2023
Table 2: Current Pismo Beach Water Supplies
Source
Full
Allocation
(AF)
Percent of
Allocation Allocation (AF)
SMGWB* 700 30% 210.0
State Water** 1,220 35% 427.0
Drought Buffer*** 1,240 35% 434.0
Stored State Water 0.0
Lopez Water 892 100% 892.0
Lopez Surplus 1,048.0
Lopez Storage 1,061.35
Total 2,692 4,072.35
*Santa Maria Groundwater Basin
**In previous reports the City’s Table A water was reported as 1,140 AF, however since the last update to the City Council the City reached a settlement with an outside agency for the return of 80 of the 100 AF of State Water that was previously sold to the outside agency. The City is permitted to use the remaining 20 AF of water under the settlement agreement until the outside agency gives notice it wishes to use the water. ***Drought buffer is an additional allocation of water that can only be delivered when State Water Deliveries are less than 100%. The total amount of State Water delivered including drought buffer cannot exceed 1,240 AF in a given year.
As of the last update to the City Council on January 17, 2023 the City’s water supply without additional County State Water was 1,348.4 AF.
However, taking into account the State Water, the County has agreed to deliver to the City of Pismo Beach, the City’s total available water supply is 5,691.4 AF for 2023.
Precipitation
The City’s two local water supplies, Lopez Lake and the Santa Maria Groundwater Basin, are highly dependent on rainfall. Calendar year 2020 saw a significant shortfall in precipitation, while 2021 saw only a small surplus of rain. 2022 has proven to be drier than both of the previous years. 2023 has started with a significant amount of rain, but this report addresses the period ending 2022. Rainfall data for these years is shown in Table 3, below.
12.B-5Council Agenda 3-21-2023
Table 3: Average and Actual Rainfall from January 2020 to October 2022 Month
Average
Rainfall
(in) *
2021
Rainfall
(in)
Delta
(in)
2022
Rainfall
(in)
Delta
(in)
20223
Rainfall
(in)
Delta
(in)
Jan 3.59 6.46 2.87 0.0 -3.59 8.67 5.08
Feb 3.87 0.03 -3.84 0.08 -3.79 5.31 1.44
Mar 3.46 2.53 -0.93 1.08 -2.38
Apr 1.13 0.0 -1.13 0.49 -0.64
May 0.41 0.1 -0.31 0.0 -0.41
Jun 0.07 0.0 -.07 0.0 -0.07
Jul 0.03 0.03 0.0 0.0 -0.03
Aug 0.02 0.0 -0.02 0.0 -0.02
Sep 0.32 0.0 -0.32 2.62 2.30
Oct 0.62 1.95 1.33 0.0 -0.62
Nov 1.7 0.46 -1.24 1.06 -0.64
Dec 2.57 7.69 5.12 8.40 5.83
Total 17.79 19.25 1.46 0.08 -4.58
2023 Year to Date 13.98 6.52
*Average rainfall from http://longrangeweather.com/
Options for Drought Mitigation: Purchase Additional Drought Buffer via State Water At the November 15, 2022, City Council meeting staff presented the City Council with two options to increase the City’s SWP drought buffer to make the City’s water supply more resilient to drought until Central Coast Blue comes online.
Option A was to increase the City’s drought buffer from 1,240 AFY to 4,960 AFY. This option would provide the City with a full delivery of State Water when deliveries are at 20% (248 AF of Table A deliveries plus 992 AF of drought buffer for a total delivery of 1,240 AF).
Option B was to increase the City’s drought buffer from 1,240 AFY to 3,192 AFY. This option would ensure the City has a total of 1,800 AFY when SWP deliveries are at 20%, assuming an 80% delivery from Lopez Lake and 200 AF from the Santa Maria Ground Water Basin.
The City Council directed staff to work with County staff to pursue Option B. Staff has had initial conversations with County staff on increasing the City’s drought buffer supply, however since the County has agreed to make its subcontractors whole by utilizing County stored State Water and the County’s unsubscribed allocations, staff has delayed moving this forward until later in the water year.
12.B-6Council Agenda 3-21-2023
Water Conservation Efforts
At the October 18, 2022, City Council Meeting, City Council directed staff to implement five additional water conservation incentive programs (Hot Water Recirculation Pump, Washing Machine, Rain Barrel, Smart Controller and Mulch) in addition to the two on- going programs (Cash for Grass and High Efficiency Toilet). Table 4 below lists all current incentive programs.
Table 4: Current Incentive Programs
Rebate Program Amount
Potential
Water
Savings
(Gal/Year)
Potential
Water Savings
(AFY)
$ amount
offered $/AF
Cash for Grass 500 SF 32,396 0.0994 $1,000 $10,058
High Efficiency
Toilet 1 Unit 9,725 0.0298 $100 $3,351
Hot Water
Recirculation
Pump
1 Unit 12,000 0.0368 $100 $2,715
Washing Machine 1 Unit 5,000 0.0153 $150 $9,775
Rain Barrel 2 Unit 1,300 0.0040 $100 $25,065
Smart Controller 1 Unit 6,000 0.0184 $100 $5,430
Mulch NA SF NA NA NA NA
While the City’s Cash for Grass and High Efficiency Toilet Rebate programs continue to be popular among the community, there have yet to be any applications submitted for any of the new incentive programs. Table 5 below details the total number of rebates issued per program thus far.
Table 5: Rebates Issued to Date
Rebate Program # of
Conversions
Rebate
Total
Current
Water
Saving
$/AF
Cash 4 Grass
(Paid Out) 29 $22,287.50 6.16 AF/year $3,617
Cash 4 Grass
(Under
Conversion)
12 $27,234.47 3.35 AF/year $8,140
Toilet (Paid Out) 15 $1,500.00 0.89 AF/year $1,685
Toilet (Under
Conversion) 0 $0 AF/year
TOTAL 56 $51,021.97 10.40 AF/year $4,905
12.B-7Council Agenda 3-21-2023
In an effort to promote the City’s new incentive programs, staff has designed mailers that will be sent out with water conservation tips and information on the City’s water conservation rebate programs. Staff has also produced a series of videos to post on social media titled “No Water Wednesdays” and has been pushing these videos out once a week.
Conclusion and Recommendation
This winter’s precipitation in the form of rain and snow has provided great relief to California’s drought. As of March 9, 2023 the drought monitor put out by the National Drought Mitigation Center and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, showed that there was no longer extreme drought anywhere in the State and that much of the State was abnormally dry or had no drought indications.
With State Water deliveries up to 35%, and expected to be increased, the County’s excess State Water that has been committed to the State Water Subcontractors, Lopez Lake Deliveries at 100% and the stored water the City has accumulated in Lake Lopez, the City is in a very strong position with respect to its water supply. Staff recommends that the City Council continue to support and promote the City’s water conservation programs and declare a “Normal Water Supply Condition” as defined in municipal code section 13.24.030 by adopting a Resolution (Attachment 1) rescinding Resolutions R- 2022-043, R-2022-004, and R-2021-049, and declaring a Normal Water Supply Condition.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no direct fiscal impact from this report.
ALTERNATIVES:
None.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution
Submitted by: Meeting Date: March 21, 2023
Benjamin A. Fine, P.E., Director of Public Works/City Engineer City Manager Approval:
12.B-8Council Agenda 3-21-2023
RESOLUTION NO. R-2023-XXX
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PISMO BEACH, CALIFORNIA DECLARING A “NORMAL WATER SUPPLY CONDITION” AND RESCINDING RESOLUTIONS R-2022-043, R-2022-004, AND R-2021-049 WHEREAS, in response to the once-worsening drought, the City Council took actions to protect the City’s water supply and to encourage conservation; and WHEREAS, on June 1, 2021, the City Council declared a Moderately Restricted Water Supply Condition via Resolution R-2021-049; on January 18, 2022, the City Council declared a Severely Restricted Water Supply Condition via Resolution R-2022-004; and most recently, the City Council declared a Critical Water Supply Condition via Resolution R-2022-043 and adopted an urgency ordinance enacting a prohibition on the installation of natural turf; and
WHEREAS, recent above-average precipitation has helped to replenish surface and groundwater sources; and
WHEREAS, the current deep well index level for the Santa Maria Groundwater Basin was at 10.58 feet as of February 7, 2023, 4.70 feet higher than the previous level and 1.22 feet higher than one year ago (January 2021); and
WHEREAS, Lopez Lake was previously expected to drop below 10,000 acre-feet by this time, however as of March 14, 2023 Lopez Lake was at 40,661.5 acre-feet, or 82.3% of its capacity; and
WHEREAS, the City of Pismo Beach has accumulated a storage in Lopez Lake of 3,001.35 acre-feet; and
WHEREAS, on December 1, 2022, the State Department of Water Resources (DWR) set initial 2023 State Water Project (SWP) allocations to 5% with SWP Human Health and Safety Needs; and
WHEREAS, State Water deliveries were increased on January 26, 2023 and then again on February 22, 2023 to 30% and 35% respectively; and
WHEREAS, the 2022/23 winter’s precipitation in the form of rain and snow has provided great relief to California’s drought; and
WHEREAS, as of March 9, 2023 the drought monitor put out by the National Drought Mitigation Center and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, showed that there was no longer extreme drought anywhere in the state and that much of the state had no drought indications.
12.B-9Council Agenda 3-21-2023
Attachment 1
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Pismo Beach hereby rescinds Resolution R-2022-23, declaring a “Critical Water Supply Condition with Modified Restrictions”; Resolution R-2022-004 declaring a “Severely Restricted Water Supply Condition”; and Resolution R-2021-049 declaring a “Critical Water Supply Condition.”
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Pismo Beach hereby declares a “Normal Water Supply Condition” in accordance with Pismo Beach Municipal Code Section 13.24.030.
UPON MOTION OF Council Member , seconded by Council Member , the foregoing resolution was adopted by the City Council of the City of Pismo Beach this 21st day of March 2023, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
RECUSED:
Approved: Attest:
________________________ ________________________
Ed Waage, Mayor Erica Inderlied, City Clerk
12.B-10Council Agenda 3-21-2023
Attachment 1